Judge Considers Request for Restraining Order Against State Ethics Commission

A judge in Jefferson City has heard arguments on the Missouri Republican Party’s request for a temporary restraining order preventing the Missouri Ethics Commission from implementing action in the campaign financing case.

The State Supreme Court had struck down the law that did away with contribution limits and gave the Ethics Commission the authority to determine how to deal with the return of excessive amounts that had been contributed. The Commission met on September 11th, behind closed doors, prompting the GOP to claim the Commission had violated Missouri’s Sunshine Law. The Party has filed a lawsuit against the Commission and is now seeking a temporary restraining in Cole County Circuit Court, where attorney Harvey Tettlebaum argued the Ethics Commission has basically snubbed the Sunshine Law.

The Commission argues there were legal discussions, not discussions of public policy, during the closed door meeting, which allows the open meetings law to be bypassed. Cole County Circuit Judge Richard Callahan could rule as early as tomorrow on the request for the temporary restraining order. That ruling would not impact the Republican Party’s underlying challenge to the Commission’s actions.